May 20, 2012

May 19, 2012

Sorry for the coarse language, I thought this was an interesting read though.

From: RolandMan1@aol.com

Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 15:08:09 -0500

To: mr808@teleport.com

Cc: analogue@hyperreal.com

Subject: Re: System 100M vs System 700

In a message dated 95-12-21 08:21:31 EST, you write:

>

>Doesn't Rolandman1 have both a 100m & 700? Hooked up to his TR-929, as I >recall, or was he just bullshitting us?

808,

i'm flattered that you remembered about my system 100 and 700 stuff. actually, i got a phone call from this dealer guy who told me he heard i had some equipment and he convinced me to sell it all to him for $500. just kidding! yeah, i've still got 'em and always will but i've been keeping a low profile since my posts usually go *unappreciated*.

one major difference i mentioned before were the filter modules in the 2 systems. the 100m model 121 has cv control over cutoff but the filter's basically a lpf with a 3 position hpf, like that on the 106. on the other hand, there are at least 2 vcfs on the 700. one has a switchable filter - either lp, bp, or hp (#703d). the other's got JUST a LP, but also has VC resonance (#703g). otherwise, the 2 are a bit similar in function, the 700 does sound a lot fatter to me, but i usually prefer the 100m for smaller sounds anyway. one things for sure - they packed a lot of features in each 100m module. the 700 modules were usually designed for only one function.

as for my not posting sooner, i've kind of gotten wrapped up with making music (yeah, for a change) so i havent had the time i wanted to respond to the initial post on the topic.

peace

rolandman1@aol.com

ps. the tr-929 thing was just a joke.

From mikekent@pacificrim.net Thu Feb 29 02:49:37 1996

28 Feb 96 23:41:38 +0500

26 Feb 96 18:22:37 +0500

Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 14:23:11 -0800

From: mikekent@pacificrim.net (Mike Kent)

Subject: Roland Modulars

Cc: analogue@hyperreal.com

>Could you describe the voice architecture of the System-100. I've never >used it, and I'm a bit surprised by the System-700 comparision. (It looks >like a sliver of a 700!)

I recently offered a friend's System-100 for sale. I received several repies asking what it was like, along with the above response. I own and love System-100 and System-100m. I have used System-700 but never owned one (please, anyone want to sell one?) The family resemblance in design (but not appearance) follows through all 3 lines.

The System-100 is the little brother of System-700, both available at the same time (700 about 1976 to 1980, 100 about 1977 to 1980). Sales of both systems was slowing when the the System-100m replaced both in about 1980. The System-100m is similar to the System-700 in power/flexibility, with similar size/cost of System-100. The System-100m name reflects that it follows the System-100 in target market while being somewhat more "m"odular like the expansions of System-700. I don't think the System-100m sounds as good as either of the older systems.

The main console cabinet of the System-700 and all components of the System-100 are hardwired with patch points, similar in concept to the ARP 2600 or Korg MS series. The expansion cabinets for System-700 are not hardwired, they are more seperated modular design. The System-100m is seperated modular design.

I guess sometime I'll get around to writing detailed spec reports for each model. But this is all I have time for while eating lunch here today. Hopefully you can get more details from Music Machines for now.

Well, I finally saw the film. It was alright... I certainly didn't like it as much as the book. It's very easy when you're reading the book to put yourself in Hermie's place but when watching the movie you just feel as though you're watching someone experience the most awkward, embarrassing moments of his life. It's not as enjoyable an experience. And the sweet moments from the book didn't seem as potent. I guess these are the usual complaints of someone who prefers a book to a movie.

May 15, 2012

May 14, 2012

Today someone (...a very special someone!) informed me that summer was in full swing back home. It reminded me of the Summer of '42. I found this record in a thrift store about seven years ago. I instantly loved the music, it reminded me a lot of the soundtrack for the old animated version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (a life long obsession).

So then about four or five years ago I found the book, Summer of '42, in the same thrift store. I loved the soundtrack so much that I bought the book right away and loved that too. It's a coming of age story, and doesn't shy away from anything (one of the few books I love that really isn't intended for children)

I think I'm going to finally seek out the film and watch it. It's about time. Anyway, this is my favorite song from the soundtrack, It's the main theme.

May 10, 2012

I just purchased this little beauty. On it's way over from Japan as we speak. I'd been wanting to get a System 100m for a long time now but I wanted the smaller rack size ( M-190) that only holds three modules, but all that's been coming up for the past year or so were the larger ones. I was actually resigned to thinking that the larger was all I'd ever find and was planning on buying one at the end of the month. And then this popped up. What luck!

May 9, 2012

This video, The Spirit Of Norway, plays at the end of the Maelstrom ride in the Norway pavilion at Epcot. The ride is alright, especially the scene depicted above, but I really loved the movie at the end. I used to sneak in the back so I could just watch the movie and skip the ride.

May 7, 2012

Autumn was a legendary Belgian synthesizer band from 1980-1984. They used a Roland TR 808 rhythm machine to synchronize with the CSQ 600 sequencer (which needed to be reprogrammed several times during the 2-3 hour show), an SH-2 synthesizer for bass lines and The Roland Jupiter-4 for polyphonic parts. And it would appear from the above photo that they also had in their studio a system 100m with the polyphonic cv controller keyboard. My favorite song of theirs is called Reach You From Behind My Walls.

May 5, 2012

The Roland DC-30 is a wonderful delay & chorus unit. It's completely analog but if you're like me and don't want the responsibility of maintaining a tape delay this is perfect. It uses something known as a BBD or bucket-brigade device. And it works much the same way that you would imagine people passing along buckets of water. The stored analogue signal is moved along the line of capacitors, one step at each clock cycle.

I just read the legendary "Lefay Fragment" (a bit of a very early draft for the Magician's Nephew) from Past Watchful Dragons. I found it completely captivating, in fact one of the most charming things I've ever read. Perhaps I'm just desperate for more? I understand why Lewis didn't go in this direction, it wouldn't have been completely consistent with the other Narnia books (or rather, the established contrast between the Narnian world and our own). I also never doubted it's authenticity while reading it. Of course, I hadn't thought to think it at the time... even though I was aware that it was in question. It is actually very upsetting when it ends abruptly --just when you're really getting wrapped up in the story. I think I'll read it again soon.Also, I'm working on a surprise for you. It's almost finished. I think it will be the most potent thing that's happened here yet.

May 4, 2012

This isn't the sort of thing I normally like to post here... I care very little for digitally controlled oscillators you know. But, as our palette is rather limited, it's probably alright if we deviate every now and again.

May 1, 2012

Not unlike my previous obsession with eggnog (which is extremely hard to get out of season btw! ...I really must learn to make my own...), my new thing is oatmeal flavored soap. It smells really great and the bits of oatmeal exfoliate your skin as you wash. Wonderful!

This blog is about early electronic music instruments from the 50's, 60's, and 70's (pre-MIDI instruments that deal in wholesome CV and Gate signals). It's also about my experience with Quakerism, my fondness for C.S. Lewis, The Epcot Center, my puppetry, eggnog, oatmeal flavored soap, Christmas etc, etc. Herein I will try to connect the real or imagined dots between them. Bits of comedy throughout.

I'm a member of The Fifteenth Street Monthly Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and the Puppeteers of America organization. Occasionally I attend the New York C.S. Lewis Society Meetings.

Join me as we apply the Quaker concepts of plainness and simplicity to the creation of electronic music.